Superheater



1,656,973 C. W. CROWELL SUPERHEATER Filed Aug'. 29, 1923 v2 sheets-sneer 1 Jan. 24, 1928.

e M ai T1 Kim A'TTORNEY.

Jan. 24, 192s.

C. W. CROWELL SUPERHEATER 2 Sheets-Shea?l 2 Filed Aug. 29. 1923 o 0 oooooooQooooooo ooooooooooooooo @a o ooooooooooo OO OOOOO OOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOO OOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOQOO OOO OOOOOO OOOOOOOO INVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y.

regulating the temperature in the superheat- Figure 1;

` Unirse STATES f PATENr OFFICE." j

Appneanoa ined August 29, i923.k serial no. s605109;

This invention relates to superheaters, and valve leading from the superheater is closed. A

particularly to superheaters for internally y Other objects will'appearin thecourselof fired steam boilers, this application being a the followingdescription: I y continuation infpartof my pending applica- My invention is illustrated in the accomo tion Serial, lilo. 300,270, tiled June 19, 1920. panying drawings, wherein The general object of this invention is the i Figure v1 is alongitudinal sectional view provision lin connection` with a boiler shell, through a general type of boiler showing my of a superheating section soy designed that it superheater applied thereto; I

will superheat the steam which has been Figure 2 is a longitudinalsectional view o generated in the boiler proper, the superof a modernboiler showing my superheater 65 heatingsection being so constructed as to applied thereto; 4 i secure economy in building, economy in re- Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 Vof pairing, and economy of fuel consumption. Figure 1;

A. further object consists `in means for. Figure 4l is a section on the line l--llk of ing section, and provide means whereby Figure iis a fragmentary elevation ofthe when the superheated steam is not being used boiler Aand `superheater showing the damper the superlieatedstcam may be caused to ciractuating means, the cylinder 17 `being partly calate through the cold water of the boiler broken away; y, i an barrel and thus be condensed toa state of y Figure 6 `is a fragmentary enlarged sec- 75 saturated steam and returned to the supertion on the same plane as Figure l'but show heating section, said` means `for causing the `ing the detachable connection between the circulation of the superheated steam bacl: boiler and the superheater; y through the condensed pipe being out ofi Referring to these drawings, andparticu-` a5 when the super-heated steam is being` used. larly to Figure 1, 10 designates the fire L still further object is to provide means box of an ordinary boiler having the usual whereby the superheating area shall `be rear water leg 11 and the front water leg 12 greatly increased without decreasing theV and having a manhole 13 in the boiler sheet steam generating area. of any usual or suitable construction.` The i Another object is Vo provide means c on- ,y boiler is provided with the many longitudi-4 trolled by the throttle valve lof the supernally extending water lues 111l connectingat heating` section whereby to cut off the pastheir forward and rearends with the water sage of the products .of combustion tothe legs 11 and 12, a baille wall 15 being 'disheating il ues of the superheating section and posed in `advance of the fire box 10 so as lto discharge said products through the regular causel the products of combustion" to pass 90 stach and *nog automatically when the upward from the lire box around the varisuperheating :tion being used to shut oil" 4ous flueslfl and then downward into the passage through the regular stack and canse space 16 in advance of the` baille wall. `The the discharge of products through the superwater leg 12 opens into, a water chamber 17 4U heatiiig` tlues, either onceor a number of which is disposed beneath the portion '16 l915 times, and the'zrdischarge thenrthrough a and the baffle wall 15, the inner and outer stach associated with thesuperheating lines. sheetsof the boiler, designated respectively Still another objectis to provide means 18 and 19, vbeing connected by the usual whereby the superheating shell. `and allied stay bolts. y '15 parts may be, as a unit, readily connected to yDisposed inV advancek ofthe boiler isv a 100 or disconnected from the regularpboiler. smoke box 20 defined byv a sheet 21 and by n. further Objectis to provide automatia sheet 22 and extending through the boiler cally operated means acting when the throttle sheet 19 and opening into the Smoke box is valve controlling the flow of superheated a stack 23, the lower end of which is bellsteam from the superheater is opened to shaped, this stack being normally closedby xause the closure of the stack which leads a damper or valve 24: mounted upon a rock yi'lirectly from the boiler and acting tio cause shaft25 whichextends transversely through the opening of ,aid closure permitting the the smoke box and whiohis operated,y as passage of the products of combustion di-` willbe hereafter described. y rectly out of said stack when the throttle Mounted within the smolnibozr` and lin, 11

all)v water leg, this space being el opens into the chamber rear of the wall or sheet 2Q is a relatively thick wall 26 which for nearly its entire height is spaced from the sheet 22 but at its upper end extends over into contact with this sheet so that thereby i, space 2T is pro` vided for a` purpose to be later stated.

It will be seen from Figure (i that the sheet or wall 22 has attached to it an annular flange 28 which is riveted, or otherwise at` tached to the sheet 29 ot' the superheater section and thatbolted to the margin of this angular flange 52S is a smoke ring 2:30 and that this in turn is riveted, bolted or otherwise attached to the end of sheet 1,9, this construction being such that the superheater, as will be later described, may be removed as a unit from or attached as a unit to the body ot' the boiler. The sheet 29 which denes or forms the exterior wall of the superheater has at one end the wall and inwardly of this wall 22 there is provided the flue sheet or all 3l, the space between these two walls constituting a connected at itsI upper end to the wa ter leg l2 b v means ofthe pipes 83 and at its loweiI end by means of the pipes 34. At the forward end of the super-heater there is disposed a smoke box 35 which is separated from the superheater proper by means of the flue sheet 36. Flues 37 extend 'from the sheet L2 to the sheet 36 and open at one end into the smoke box Q0 and at the other end into the smoke box 35. The superheating chamber 38 is disposed between the walls 3G and 3l and is traversed by these flue pipes 37.

In Figure 1 I have illustrated three sets of flue pipes a, o and c. The pipes a, open from the smoke chamber 9,0 into the smoke chamber 35. as do the pipes c, which act as return pipes. These pipes o are disposed so as to open into the heating chamber 27. The pipes Z) extend from the heat-ing chamber 2T and open into a chamber 35h from which extends a stack 40 and a forced dratt nozzle 39 in axial alignthis forced dra'lt source of exhaust ment with the stack 40, nozzle being connected to a steam in the usual manner.

Connecting the lire box with the smoke box 2() are a series of tlues i2 and thc products of combustion passing over the baille wall l5 discharge through these 'flues into the smoke box 20. In advance of these tiues Ll2 and extending downward to the smoke box is a baille 43 which causes the products of combustion issuing from the tlues 42 to be forced downward against the lower portion ot' the wall 26 and then to rise upward over the face of this wall and toward the stack 23. It the damper :Zelis cl sed,these products of combustion will pass through the flue pipes of the series oi and pass into the smoke box 35, then pass downward and back through the series of flues c into the chamber 2T and pass upward and through the series oi llues b into the chamber 3l) and thence out ol the stack Ill). ll". however, the damper 2i be opened the products of combastion will pass directly up thrr'uigh this stack by natural draft or may be assisted by the steam nozzle itt which is connected to any suitable source ot' steam. lt will be seen from Figure lA that the water level a: is at a height equal to the upper end of the water leg 32 so that thisl water leg l2 will he at all times filled with water.

For the purpose ot' olicrating the damper 2l, I mount this damper :24 upon the Sha l`t :25, as hereto'lore stated, and dispose upon the exterior ot' the boiler means for :uitonlatically operating this damper. To this cud the shaft is proviifled with a weighted arm l5 (see Figure 5) which normally acts to rotate the shat't in a direction to open the damper, and also attached to this .shaft is the groovcd sector 4b, and mounted upon the exterior et' the boiler is a longitudinally extending cylinder l? haring an outlet opening -l8 at one end. and operating within this cylinder is the piston i9 which has` the piston rod 5() operativelyv connected by a chain or cable 5l to the groovcd sector. Thus when steam is admitted in front of thc piston, the piston will be vForced laickwarrl and will rotate the shaft 25 and carry the closure l into engagement with the stack 2.3i. 'Whcm on the other hand, steam is allowed to exhaust from the (,fylindci.' 47, the weighted arm ylo and weight ol damper 2st will act revcrscly lo cause the olicning of the closure and to shift the piston reversely.

The cylinder 4:7 is connected by a pi pc oil to a pipe 53 which leads Jfrom a throttle alve casing 54, this throttle valve casing containing therein an ordinary throttle valve opening to the interior of the superlualter. Thus when the throttle valve opened and steam passes out from the supcrhcater into the casing 5a and then tl'lrough the pipe :71h steam will also pass along the pipe F32 and act upon the piston 4l) to autoniatically clore passage through the stack Q3. When. however, the throttle 'alve is closed and the passage ot superheatcd lsteam prevented. then the steam which within the c vlinder 4,7 will pass out through the pipe o2 and into the pipe 53 and so to the c vlirulers o1 the engine and out1 which will permit the damper to again open under the action ol the weighted arm and weight ol damper lVhile l have illustrated a particular means for autonmtically actuating the damper 24, l do not wiyh to he liniitcd to this means, as it is obvious that many otlufr dill'erent .u rana' might be used `l'or this pur pose and I hare only illustrated a partiturlar device in order to clearly show one mauner in which the damper may he automatically operated.

lll.)

l lll) ner boiler sheet 18. h

is not as extended as it is in Figure 1 and the Connecting the boiler shell with the superheater are one or inoref pipes55lwhereby saturated steam :trom within the upper portion ot the boiler may be carried intothe superheater wherein it becomes superheated and `it is discharged toits point ot use through the throttle 54. In order to particularly prevent any part ot the superheater from becoming too hot when superheated steam is not Lbeing used or because of any accident or mishap, I provideone or more pipes 56 which lead from the top of the superheater back into the boiler shell 19 and particularly into the water space 12 between the liue sheet of tire box 10 and iiue sheet 21. A fter this pipe has `entered the water space it is coiled, convoluted or bent in any other suitable form so as to secure a relatively large amount ot surface and extends downward through the water leg connecting and extending through shell 19 at a relatively lowpolnt and connectsto a pipe 57 which extendsdownward and to the lowest point-in the superheater into which it enters `and discharges. Disposed in the lengthot' pipe 56 is a valve 58, which valve has an arm operatively connected to the throttle valve arm by means ot a link 59 so that both the throttle valve 54: and the valve 58 are operated in unison. VVhenthe throttle valve 54 is closed, the valve 58 is opened and vice versa, and thus when the throttle Vvalve is Lclosed and the valve '58 is opened, the superheated steamis per` mitted to pass through pipe 56 into the boiler `shell 19 where it is subjected to the con densino` etfectot the cold water in the water leg anc is returned'as saturated steam to the lowest point of the superheating chamber 88, thus securing a constant circulation and condensation of the superheated steam, thus maintaining an even temperature in the superheater until superheated steam is desired again, when the throttle valve `54 is opened and the valve 58 `is correspondingly closed, which stops `the circulationthrough the condensing pipe 56. i 1

In Figure 1, I illustrate .the application ot my invention to a general typev ot boiler, while in Figure 2 I illustrate the application boiler, 'this boiler being ot thesame-area as the area ot the boiler in Figure 1. `In this view, I illustrate the tire .box 10, the water leg 11,'the outer boiler sheet 19 andthe in- The `hre box, however,

water leg or `water space 12is much more extended than in Figure 1, and thus the i'lues e2 are longer than in Figure 1. These tlues open into the smoke box 20, as in Figure 1, and against the bathe wall 43. Within this smoke box is the upwardly extending stack 23 with its damper 2a mounted upon the shaft 25.- The exhaust steam nozzlerhl vsmoke box.

i the lues and not to be returned. i

f steam nozzle heater.

superheater to a modern,

rated steam. Forward ot the stack 23 there is a tlue sheet 222t which is the same as the flue sheet 22, except that it extends up to thetop of the smoke box 20, and forward is the flue sheet 31 which also extends upward to the top ot the Between these lflue sheets there but inasmuch as these flue the full height ofthe lett between the iiue is a water leg 32a sheets extend up to vboiler a space 61 is sheets at `their upper ends within which saturatedsteam accumulates in the saineway that saturated steam accumulates above thel water level in the boiler. These'tlue sheets are connected at their upper ends by means ottie bolts G2. v Y

Passing through the flue sheets 22 and 31, through the superheating chamber 3S, and through the sheet or wall 35 which torms the end of the superheating chamber are the tlues y'87W A hese iiues are notarrangedin series as illustrated in Figure 1 for the `reason that in Figure 2 the products ot coni-bustion are designed to pass in one These fines open into the smoke 130x135, which is precise ly the same as the smoke box 3,5, exceptthat it has therein a petticoat pipe 62 discharging upward into the stack `G3, and below the petticoat pipe there is provided the exhaust L11eL Connected to the nozzle is the screen 64, and also connected to the nozzle and extending` downward therefrom is the draft sheet 65. Under these circumstances the products of combustion will be forced through the petticoat pipe, G2 i and through the stack 63 by the exhaust steam from the nozzle 41, but there will be uo return as there is in Figure 1. rlhe two iiue sheets 31a and 36FL arestayel lby upwardly and centrally extending stays 56 connected to the enclosing wall or sheet of the super- From the superheater extends the the pipe 53. 2 is also prothrottle valve casing 5ft and The structure shown 1n `Figure `vided with the `connecting pipes 33 and 3ft and the pipe 56 leading troni the superheater back yinto the water legot the inainboiler and the pipe 57 connecting this water leg to the lower portion ot the superheater. It is to be understood, ot course, 24 for the stack 23 is ot'the same construction and is operated in the same manner as in Figure 1 and by the same mechanism.

It will be understood that in Figure f1 the shell 29 may be made any desired size to correspond to the cylinders ot any locoinotive regardless ot their height or the size of the shell 19` and at dthe sametlme have all way through lll() that the closure fi fl the fines in the water wall 32 submerged, In the structure shown in Figure l, the superheater may be made nearly as large as the boiler shell lll or as small as desired without the use ot' the stays (56 such as are shown in Figure il.

It will also be noticed that owing to the cylindrical form ot the supei'eater shell 2S) and its connections. as shown .in Figure l, it enables me to extend lire tubes to the top of the sheet 3o, increasing the heating area in the lsame size tlue sheet, a difference as shown in tlue sheet 36, Figure 27 and at the same time eliminate the steam space in the upper part of water leg 3Q.

Attention is called to the tact that in my construction I provide, a superheater with a *ater leg or water space disposed at its rear end and a smoke box connected to it at its forward end, which super-heater is a unit and removable, with its smoke box as an entirety from its connection with the torward end ol the boiler or with the smoke box at the forward end of the boiler. Furthermore, it is to be particularly noted that my superheater is not disposed within the boiler shell and not disposed within a smoke box but that Vit is connected to the end ol the boiler shell by means of the connection head 28 so that it may be readily removed 'trom this position or put in engagement with an old boiler and the smoke box thereof and as tar as I know, such a structure as this is entirely new with me. My superheater with its rear water compartment or space is disposed between two smoke boxes. each provided with a stack and is not disposed within a smoke box having stacks at its opposite ends. For this reason the cylindrical shell .29 ot the snlwrheater is not limited in areay and is not limited either in diameter or in length or elevation.

'lhe connection head 28 is ot great value in my invention in that this head and the parts in front ot' it, namely, the snperheater shell and the forward smoke box, may be kept in stock to lit any size head and thus be applied to boilers now in use without using' the expensive tapered construction and further this construction eliminates unnecessary space and expensive staying. as shown by (t in Figure 2. By the use of this head or ring 2S the Yform of siqfierheater and smoke box illustrated in Figure l may be used in place ot that form of superheater and smoke box illustrated in Figure 2.

l. The combination with a steam boiler and a smoke box at one end having a stack, the steam boiler being formed to provide a smoke box and a water leg, ot a superheater including a` superheating section disposed in ad ance ot the smoke box, a water leg disposed between the superheating section and the smoke box, a second smoke box disposed in advance of the snperheating section and having a stack, lire tubes extending th rough the second named water leg and tln'ough the superheating section and connecting the smoke boxes, a discharge connection from the snperheating section and .including a throttle valve, means for causing the passage of products of combustion through the stack ot the first named smoke box when said throttle valve is closed or causing the passage of the products oit' combustion through the tire tubes and the stack ot' the second ntnned smoke box when the throttle valve is opened, circulation pipes connecting the second named water leg with the first named water leg, a condensingr pipe extending tin-(nigh the water leg ot' the boiler, a commotion from one end ot' said condensing pipe to the upper portion of the snperheating section and trom the lower end ot said condensing pipe to the lower portion ol the snperheating sectioll, a valve for preventing or permitting the passage ot steam trom the superheating section into the condensing pipe, and means 'ausing the automatic opening ol said valve when the throttle valve is closed and the automatic closing ot' said valve when the throttle valve opened.

E2. The combination with a boiler having the usual smoke box and stack at its forward end, of a superheater secured to the iront end ol said smoke box and comprising a cylindrical shell divided into two sections to provide a front superheating section and a rear water leg section, a smoke box to which the forward end of the superheater is connected. and fire tubes extending through both the water leg and the superheating section and communicating at their opposite ends with both smoke boxes.

3. As an article of nnlnutacture a superheater adapted to be applied as a unit to boilers, comprising an outer shell divided into two sections by an intermediate wall, the front section being a snperheating section and the rear section being a water leg, a smoke box engaged with the forward end of said superl'leatii'ig sectiom and lire tubes extending longitudinally throngh said water leg and the superheating section and opening at one end into said smoke box and at the other end opening through the rear wall ot' the water leg.

et, A superheater structure adapted to be applied as a unit to the smoke box ol' a boiler, con'iprising an outer shell having three tube sheets spaced apart and secured therein and dividing the interior ot the shell into two sections. the forward stmtion being a superheating section and the rear section constituting a water leg, a smoke box secured to the tornulrd end ot' the shell and havingl a stack, and tire tubes extending longitudinally through the vater leg and through the superheater section and opening the front section i rear smoke box for directing and at their forward ends into the forward smoke box and at the rear ends opening through the rearmost tube sheet.

The combination with a boiler having the usual smoke box at its forward end, the smoke box having a stack, of a superheater structure comprising a cylindrical shell, three tube sheets spaced apart therein. to thereby form a rear water leg and a forward superheating section, a forward smoke box engaged with the forward end of said shell, the rear wall of the smoke box being formed by forward smoke box having a stack, fire tubes extending longitudinally through the superheater and water leg, opening at their forward ends through the forward tube sheet into said forward smoke box, and at their` rear ends opening through the rear tube sheet and into the smoke box at the forward end of the boiler, and an annular connection head connecting the rear end of said shell with the forward end of theboiler smoke box.

6. The combination with a boiler having a lire box, a smoke box and a stack leading therefrom, fire tubes comimmicating with said fire box and smoke box and a smoke box ring secured in the front end of the smoke box, the boiler terminating at said smoke box, of a superheater structure disposed in advance of the smoke box and inV cluding an exterior shell and an annular connection head secured to the shell and to said smoke box ring whereby the superheater may be applied to or removed from the smoke box of the boiler as an entirety.

7. rlhe combination with aboiler having a lire box, offront and rear smoke boxes each having a discharge stack, tire tubes extending between and communicating at their ends with said rearsmoke box and tire box. of a superheater securedy between said front and rear smoke boxes and comprising a cylindrical shell divided into two sections,

being a superheating section and the rear a water leg section, fire tubes extending through both the water leg and superheating sections and communicat ing with said front and rear smoke boxes, an automatically operated damper in the discharging the products of combustion received from said tire box through said fire tubes into the rear smoke box and out of the stack thereof when superheated steam is not being used or discharging said products through the lire tubes in the water leg and superheating sections into said front smoke box and through thestack thereof when super-heated steam is being used, a saturated steam conveying pipe, water conveying pipes, and a superheated steam condensing the forward tube sheet, and thev pipe, said superheater section connecting with said saturated steam pipe and the superheated steam condensing pipe and the water leg communicating with said water pipes.

8. The combination with a boiler having a fire box, a smoke box in advance thereo having a discharge stack therein, and fire tubes extending between and communicating at their ends with said lire box and smoke box. of a superheater detacliably secured` to the front end of said smoke box and consisting of a cylindrical shell having three tube sheets spaced apart and secured therein and dividing the interior of the shell into two sections, the forward sectionconstituting a superheating section and the rear section constituting a water leg between the superheating section and said smoke box, another smoke box having a discharge stack therein secured to the forward end of said cylindrical shell, and lire tubes extending longitudinally through said water leg and superheating sections and secured in said tube sheets and communicating with said smoke boxes.

9. The combination with a boiler having a rebox, a. smoke box in advance thereof andhaving a discharge stack therein, lire tubes extending between and communicating at their ends with said fire box and smoke box, of a superheater detachably secured to the front end of said smoke box consisting of a cylindrical Ashell having three tube sheets spaced apart and secured therein dividing the' interior of the shell into two sections, the forward section being a superheating section and the rear section constituting a water leg between the 'superheating section and said smoke box, another smoke box having a discharge stack therein and secured to the forward end of said superheating section, fire tudinally through said water leg and superheating sections, the lire tubes being secured in said tube sheets and commui'iicating with said smoke boxes, a damper operating in conjunction with said smoke box and the stack of the boiler and allowing the products of combustion received from the fire box to pass out through said stack when superheated steam is not being used but closing the path of travel through said stack when superheated steam is being used and simultaneously directing the flow of the products of combustion from said smoke box through said water leg and superheating sections and said forward smoke box and stack. to the discharge.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afx my signature.

CHARLES W. ROWELL.

tubes extending longi` lll) iso` 

